Chapter 6 - The Dragon's Snare
For two days, the Plaza Hotel served as our fortress.
The Commission had officially sanctioned a total war against the Vance syndicate. Arthur Vance and his daughter Victoria were stripped of their assets, declared rogue, and hunted by every syndicate in the tri-state area.
I sat in the presidential suite, looking down at the massive diamond ring sparkling on my left hand. It still felt surreal. Just seventy-two hours ago, I was struggling to pay my electric bill. Now, I was engaged to the most powerful man in the city.
Damiano spent most of his time in tactical meetings down the hall, coordinating the final siege on Vance’s remaining strongholds. Every few hours, he would slip into the suite just to hold me, kiss Emma, and reassure himself that we were safe.
On the third afternoon, a delivery arrived at the suite.
A large, beautifully wrapped box was brought in by one of our trusted guards. Attached was a card stamped with the official seal of the Hotel Management: A gift for the future Mrs. Moretti from the Executive Staff.
Emma clapped her hands happily. “Can I open it, Mommy? Please?”
I smiled, sitting beside her on the plush rug. “Go ahead, sweetheart.”
Emma untied the velvet ribbon and pulled open the box lid. Inside was a massive, beautiful porcelain tea set painted with delicate gold flowers, along with a large plush teddy bear.
Emma squealed with joy, pulling the teddy bear out. But as she lifted the toy, a tiny, dark object fell out from its hollowed fabric back onto the carpet.
A small, silver metallic cylinder.
My blood turned to ice.
“Emma! Step back!” I screamed, grabbing her arm and pulling her behind me.
The silver cylinder suddenly hissed. A thick, sweet-smelling purple gas erupted from the canister, filling the living room within seconds.
I coughed violently, my vision instantly blurring. My legs turned to lead, my strength draining away as if my veins had been emptied.
“Mommy...” Emma whimpered, her eyes fluttering shut as she collapsed onto the rug.
I tried to crawl toward her, tried to scream for Damiano, but my vocal cords refused to work. The heavy suite doors clicked open.
Through the haze of purple smoke, two figures walked in wearing gas masks. One of them had long, shimmering hair under a dark hood.
Victoria Vance.
She knelt beside my trembling body, pulling off her mask to reveal a face twisted in psychotic, vengeful rage.
“You pathetic little waitress,” Victoria hissed, slapping my cheek with a gloved hand. “You took my crown. You took my future. Now, I’m going to take everything Damiano loves.”
I tried to grab her throat, but my fingers couldn't close.
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Victoria picked up my unconscious daughter, slinging her over her shoulder, while her mercenary dragged me by my arms toward the service elevator hidden behind the suite pantry.
As darkness swallowed my mind, my last thought was of Damiano’s face when he realized his world had been stolen.
